In a strongly-worded statement on Monday, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta accused the current administration led by President William Ruto of denying him retirement benefits and privileges entitled to former heads of state.
Kenyatta’s spokesperson, Kanze Dena, revealed that the former president’s office has been starved of its rightful packages, with State House remaining silent on the matter. Despite receiving his monthly allowance, medical cover, and a gratuity of 48 million Kenyan shillings, Dena stated that a lump sum of other benefits has not been provided.
One major grievance highlighted was the lack of budgetary allocations to Kenyatta’s office. For the 2022–2023 fiscal year, parliament allocated 655 million shillings to the office, but only 28 million shillings (approximately 4.4%) have been spent so far. Furthermore, none of the expected 503 million shillings for 2023–2024 have been disbursed, leaving Kenyatta’s office with a pending budget of approximately 1 billion shillings.
Dena also disclosed that Kenyatta has not been provided with a fully furnished and maintained office space, as required by law. The office in Nyari, initially selected by former President Mwai Kibaki, is currently operating on Kenyatta’s goodwill as they await action from the State House.
Additionally, Kenyatta’s office alleges that the vehicles allocated to the former president were not new, contrary to the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act. The vehicles, including two Toyota Land Cruisers, one Mercedes-Benz, and one Range Rover used by former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, were part of the former president’s motorcade during his inauguration ceremony.
The Presidential Retirement Act stipulates that a retired president is entitled to two new vehicles of their choice, replaceable every three years, with engine capacities not exceeding 3,000 CC. Furthermore, a retired president is also entitled to two four-wheel motor vehicles, replaceable every three years, with engine capacities ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 CC.
Dena further revealed that Kenyatta has been fueling his vehicles since fuel cards issued by the government were canceled and blocked in March 2023.
The former State House spokesperson also highlighted Kenyatta’s lack of facilitation for foreign trips, despite making two official trips to Ethiopia and Burundi for peace processes led by the African Union and the East African Community (EAC), respectively.
Dena’s statements contradict claims made by State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed and Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, who had previously asserted that the government has shown goodwill toward Kenyatta’s office and that he has been fully enjoying his perks.
As the controversy escalates, it remains to be seen how the Kenyan government will respond to Kenyatta’s allegations and whether a resolution can be reached to address the former president’s concerns over his denied retirement benefits.